[Uucf-bible] Bibical Greek

[uucleric at mindspring.com]

Once again, it's been 30 years since I was last in seminary studying Greek; I'm sure there are plenty of new learning tools out there now, especially with the growth of interactive computer-based learning and renewed interest on the evangelical side in the study of Scripture in the original, ancient tongues.  For my own part, I have never been that great a language student, and so I've always benefited from being in a class and having formal instruction, but obviously a lot of people have taught themselves Greek in the past.  I will make a few comments though.

Studying Greek has turned out to e one of the most useful things I ever did in Div School, although at the time I was simply trying to fulfill a requirement.  But the ability to look at these texts in the original, and especially to see the original Greek etymologies and the decisions various translators have made really opens up the scripture in a different way.  Also, the kind of historical and cultural information that often comes with this kind of study is often invaluable in placing these passages in context.

You don't really need to become "fluent" in Greek in order to benefit from studying Greek.  The translations that are available today are generally quite good, at least on a technical level, even for the most conservative groups (who aren't NEARLY as likely to play as fast and loose with the inerrant text of the Bible as they are with basic biological science).  A Dictionmary like Vines, or any good Concordance, can take you a long way.  It does help to learn the alphabet though!  Koine is relatively simple grammatically compared to Classical Attic, but it can still be plenty confusing enough to be ambiguous.  But this is why it is so nice to have a "pony" close at hand.

And at the same time, if you REALLY want to learn the language, stay away from going too quickly to the interlinear.  You may THINK you know the language, but trust me...you don't!  On the other hand, the interlinear is invaluable to have near at hand if you are just looking up passages, and want to see the Greek.  And there are great on-line tools in this area too (which I think I mentioned in my first post on this subject).  Which is why I'm going now....

Tim Jensen, Portland ME

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Adin A. Eichler " <5skandhas at gmail.com>
>Sent: Nov 18, 2008 12:30 AM
>To: uucf-bible at lists.uua.org
>Subject: [Uucf-bible] Bibical Greek
>
>Greetings, all!
>
>Once again, thank you to all who sent me recommendations about Bible study
>texts. Amazon is sending them my way. :-)
>
>Now I have another question: can any of you recommend a Biblical Greek
>(called "koine", right?) course that's either in book form or - preferably -
>online  (and free)?
>
>BTW, among others, I bought the "Green Bible", which is the NRSV but with
>the eco parts printed in green. I'm loving it.
>
>Take good care.
>
>Adin Eichler
>San Francisco
>     But let justice roll down like waters,
>     and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
>     - Amos 5:24
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